While they're not as loved as Mice, Rats also have a place in my heart. Heck, I made a deck surrounding them a few months ago thanks in part to a random acquaintance named Cackler. I even made a deck involving a certain Pied Piper. Sadly some of those Rats are no longer viable for Standard as of this date. But that's not gonna stop me from making another deck! >:3c This time, it's a Rat deck! Bloomburrow's already growing onto me quite well! OwO
A good start for early one-mana is Into the Flood Maw, keeping any opponents' creatures at bay (or any pesky hindrance like an Artifact so as long as I give them Fish for dinner).
But the actual power begins with some decent Rats like Azure Beastbinder so that I may deal with annoying intimidators like any Phyrexian the moment I attack with him! You wanna burn me, Sheoldred? Sorry, you've got Lime Disease until my next turn! And because your power's at least 2, you can't touch this! ;3 Then again, what a creature can't do, Eaten by Piranhas can! >:3 Speaking of seemingly weak but useful Rats, Shoreline Looter will be a good ramp for me, allowing me to draw and discard cards at least until the Threshold keyword kicks in, in which case I actually keep what I draw! The dastardly Tangled Colony does have its faults in the sense that it can't defend at all, but even if it dies, any damage done to it spawns that many Rat Tokens to take its place! And if I've got enough in the graveyard for Threshold, the glass cannon known as Persistent Marshstalker will live up to its namesake and can come back anytime in battle for a mere , tapped and attacking!
Karumonix, the Rat King will be essential in replenishing my Rat supply and providing an alternate win condition in the process while Lord Skitter, Sewer King will just keep poppin' out Rat babies the more Rats spawn on my battlefield and every time I go into battle (exiling cards in my opponent's graveyard in the process)!
Then we've got Vren, the Relentless who - if used correctly - can produce more powerful Rat minions with every kill of an opponent's creature during the end step! And the Mind Drill Assailant can serve as a good tank 'cause why not?
The Rats aren't well-liked in general, but they aren't such bad creatures. Like their Mice cousine, no matter how small they are, they can make things happen! They just need a lot of love, and they'll get the job done! :3
